Best nine ball player ever top speed

smashmouth said:
I don't think u can even put Yang in the same class as Wu and Chao by virtue of their world titles

people have been praising Yang for years but owning Dennis Orcullo does not make him the best
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Cant put yang in the same class as wu and chao.... I'll tell em.
 
mullyman said:
It's worth what you pay for it. If you want to watch damn near perfect 9-ball being executed day 2 is going to put a big smile on your face. Earl owns that day. I think he got a 20 or 30 game lead on Efren. Credit to Efren for coming back to claim victory but, in all fairness, on day 3 Earl is visibly irritated and not focusing. Had he been in day 2 shape he would have easily had a 50-60 game lead at the end.
MULLY
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If ..If ..If .....if ,if was a skiff we could all go boating. Efren is the man when he first came over in the 80's went to Texas and cleared everyone out ! Beating Everyone !! That match your talking about was truly incredible but is exactly why Efren is Efren . He is tenacious , patient and most of all nerves of steel. So , at the end of the day question is if you had to put your rent money on it who would you have picked.
 
Falcon Eddie said:
If ..If ..If .....if ,if was a skiff we could all go boating. Efren is the man when he first came over in the 80's went to Texas and cleared everyone out ! Beating Everyone !! That match your talking about was truly incredible but is exactly why Efren is Efren . He is tenacious , patient and most of all nerves of steel. So , at the end of the day question is if you had to put your rent money on it who would you have picked.
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Oh by the way I could be mistaken but the lead was 17, as for Top Speed no need to show it till your pressed ," it's not getting knocked down , it the one who can get back up again"...think that was Muhammad Ali
 
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Efren Reyes as of now is the best,, I want the greatest title to be back here in the States, Time will tell..
 
i am brand new here, am 57 yrs old retired military guy. i am from cleveland, tn and played way back. i played out of bob's poolroom. small tables, anyway was on the road for a couple of years. played pretty good for a kid. one sat afternoon, 4 guys come in and everyone of them had black suits and white socks. drinking whiskey from half pint bottles. a hard looking but likable man asked if i wanted to play? i did not have a clue who he was, i was only 17, but knew i was in trouble. 50 a rack. funny how pride can ruin a day. 6 racks later, i was broke. never shot and he never once ran out. cornbread red was his name and was the best i ever saw, especially on big tight tables.
 
Fatboy said:
Earl has the highest gear of all time. But everything has to be just right,

Buddy and JA are more consitant, but that wasnt the question.

Earl Vs Seigal both playing 9 ball heads up with both playing in their highest gear, Mike would get chopped up. Mike is a better all around player.


I have asked this question myself to a few top pro's-Ralf agrees that Earl has the highest gear. We were sweating a match this past May and I asked him hi opinion.

Lassiter was so long ago and with slow cloth, big pockets, etc. that it makes it hard to compair
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On the Lassiter comment, didn't everyone he play get to shoot at those big pockets?
 
Earrrrrrrrrrrrl

This thread apparently still has legs so I will throw out another perspective that I didn't see offered although I could have missed it.

Every one of these top nine ball players had a streak or a period of time where they played almost perfect nine ball. The streaks lasted different periods of time. I've heard this from different top players and from the sweaters and the bettors.

Just about every one of the mentioned players had incredible top speeds for their own streak period and as Jay has mentioned, some played better for the cash than others. It is hard to say that anyone's top speed was better than another's, especially considering their respective streak periods but NO ONE CAN ARGUE WITH EARL STRICKLAND'S overall prowess at 9 ball and TITLES: (ESPECIALLY THE 5 U.S. OPEN 9 Ball Championships).

Earl Strickland's Titles and achievements
2007 Pool & Billiard Magazine Fans' Top 20 Favorite Players, #6
2006 induction into the Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame
2003 Viking National Nine-ball Championship
2002 WPA World Nine-ball Championship (men's division)
2000 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1999 Camel Shooters Nine-ball Open
1999 Camel Riviera Hotel Pro 8-Ball Open
1997 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1995 PBT Eastern States Memorial 9-Ball Championship
1994 PBT Glass City Open Nine-ball
1994 PBT World Nine-ball Championship
1993 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1993 PBT Florida Flare Up
1993 PBT Western Open
1992 MPBA Los Angeles Open
1992 MPBA Sands Regency XVI Nine-ball
1991 WPA World Nine-ball Championship (men's)
1991 MPBA McDermott Masters Nine-ball
1990 WPA World Nine-ball Championship (men's)
1990 MPBA Lexington All-Star Nine-ball
1990 MPBA Sands Regent XI Nine-ball
1990 WPA World Pool Champion
1988 PBA Tara Open
1988 PBA Brunswick World Open
1988 PBA Shoals Classic
1988 PBA Lexington All-Star Nine-ball
1988 PBA Augusta Classic
1988 PBA Greater Greenville Open
1987 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1987 PBA Bowling Green Open
1987 PBA Tara Open
1987 PBA Sands Regency Nine-ball
1987 PBA Charlotte Open
1987 PBA Fall Classic
1986 Bowling Green Open
1986 Citrus Open
1985 Ohio State Open
1985 Clyde Childress Open
1985 Charlotte Open
1985 Akron Open
1985 West Virginia Open
1984 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1984 Red's Nine-ball Open
1984 McDermott Masters
1984 Caesar's Palace Classic
1983 Caesar's Tahoe Nine-ball

Most of us have seen individual players play perfect 9 ball for short periods of time and when you see PERFECT pool played, it makes an impression in your mind that is hard to obscure no matter what anyone else thinks.

The problem in assessing a player's top speed is that each of these great players had almost incomparable top speeds during their personal best streak periods.
 
Bobby said:
I agree, Earl Strickland's top speed is sick! 5 U.S. Opens is an amazing feat. I was in the audince at the 2000 U.S Open (Earl's 5th title) and I watched the entire event from start to finish and Earl never lost more than 6 games in any match. He just plowed through the field like it was nothing. You know what it looked like? You ever see a pro player play in a regional event with a weak field of amateurs? that's what it was like, no one ;looked like they had a chance.
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Without reading the rest of the thread, I would have to refer everyone to the "Color of Money" match between Earl and Efren (race to 120, Efren wins 120-117; making up a 17 game deficit in the last 30 or 40 games).

For a large percentage of the match, Earl was breaking and running almost 50 percent of the time - unheard of offensive prowess. His play was stellar. Efren broke and ran around 30% of the time (at the high end of usual for champion players); and despite the lower break and run percentage was still victorious.

It could be assumed that Earl's breaking and running ability is unmatched (can't say Buddy Hall or Luther Lassiter ever had that kind of breaking ability); but his kicking; safety; and strategy are definitely a step below Efren.

Considering that they both played at the top of their games, I find it hard not to assume that Efren is the overall better player. Nine ball requires more than just breaking and running prowess (at which I believe Earl is unmatched). If the thread is defining "top speed" as only breaking and running it would be Earl; but really "top speed" should include all aspects of playing the game...Efren should get the nod (unless someone thinks Buddy or Luther in their prime was equal).
 
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If you consider and/or believe that the best players and deepest fields are in this era, then Mikka must get a mention, competing and winning against the world's best for 10 years now including the young guns

Earl can't say that anymore, nor can Efren, although Efren might still dominate if he was so inclined, not Earl though
 
Earl!

Fatboy said:
Earl has the highest gear of all time. But everything has to be just right,

Buddy and JA are more consitant, but that wasnt the question.

Earl Vs Seigal both playing 9 ball heads up with both playing in their highest gear, Mike would get chopped up. Mike is a better all around player.


I have asked this question myself to a few top pro's-Ralf agrees that Earl has the highest gear. We were sweating a match this past May and I asked him hi opinion.

Lassiter was so long ago and with slow cloth, big pockets, etc. that it makes it hard to compair
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Agreed. NO ONE can fade Earl in top gear. Has anyone ever seen Earl get beat when he was in top gear? I never have.
 
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Yeah...poor Efren...all washed up! Oh, wait...didn't he just win his FIFTH all-around title at Derby City a few months ago? That must have been pure luck! Sheesh! :rolleyes: Efren all washed up...what a freakin' joke! He's still the best (or at least one of the best) players on Earth, regardless of the game.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

smashmouth said:
If you consider and/or believe that the best players and deepest fields are in this era, then Mikka must get a mention, competing and winning against the world's best for 10 years now including the young guns

Earl can't say that anymore, nor can Efren, although Efren might still dominate if he was so inclined, not Earl though
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mullyman said:
Yeah, my money is on Earl too, if it wasn't for his temper. Did you see the race to 120 Hong Kong match against Efren? On day 2 Earl was focused and in a zone. He made Efren his ***** that day. I think there was a string of 30 or so games there where he broke and ran out 16 or 17 times. On day three he was obviously agitated and Efren came back and got him. Final score Efren 120 Earl 117. I don't think either of them really "won" but Earl definitely lost. If he could control that temper of his and put it on the table, no, I don't think anyone can beat him.

So, just because of Earl's lack of focus when he gets mad, I gotta go with Buddy. There are a lot of top players that avoided getting into gambling matches with Buddy in his prime.
MULLY
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did you see the match efren won.
earl was in his prime and could not beat efren.
 
real bartram said:
did you see the match efren won.
earl was in his prime and could not beat efren.
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Chris, I think the "could not" isn't really correct. You of all people know know that even greatest players do not always win! Earl led through most of the match and Efren came from behind to win. Who knows what would have happened if it had been a race to 50 or even 150. At 50 Earl was ahead he may have gotten a gear, like you did against Daz, and won the race to 150. When it comes to overall or all around I doubt you'd get many arguments that Efren wasn't the best ever! And he's probably the most creative player to ever play 9 ball. He changed the game! But Earl had a high gear that I feel was unparalleled! I remember your match with him at the DCC several years ago, when he made an ass of himself, don't let that cloud your judgement. Good shooting against Daz, by the way!
 
cuesmith said:
Chris, I think the "could not" isn't really correct. You of all people know know that even greatest players do not always win! Earl led through most of the match and Efren came from behind to win. Who knows what would have happened if it had been a race to 50 or even 150. At 50 Earl was ahead he may have gotten a gear, like you did against Daz, and won the race to 150. When it comes to overall or all around I doubt you'd get many arguments that Efren wasn't the best ever! And he's probably the most creative player to ever play 9 ball. He changed the game! But Earl had a high gear that I feel was unparalleled! I remember your match with him at the DCC several years ago, when he made an ass of himself, don't let that cloud your judgement. Good shooting against Daz, by the way!
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hahhhaha thanks.
but i mean he just could not win vs efren.
for money efren would and did find a way to win.
earl played as good a efen bur efren wins for the money.
 
kevpull said:
Agreed. NO ONE can fade Earl in top gear. Has anyone ever seen Earl get beat when he was in top gear? I never have.
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Kev,
You are in for a treat when you get the Color of Money match - Earl and Efren BOTH in top gear. Unbelieveable level of play from both players. Efren wins narrowly.

It would be hard to imagine either player playing much better than they do in this match. The amazing thing is the length of the match and that they played at a uniformly high level for the entire 3 days. Pool at its finest.
 
Agree

Totally Agree with you CB--Efren beats him for the cash--you get a 20-30 game lead and then Earl couldnt close him out--and people cant make execuses for if he would have been better mentally-the fact is that he wasnt and still isnt-

For the cash in 9 ball-- long sessions so luck would be ruled out--and in their primes-- for the last 35 yrs I would say these guys.

tie for first Buddy/ Parica
tie forSecond Effren/ Mcready
tie for third Earl/ Sigel

Just my opinion




real bartram said:
hahhhaha thanks.
but i mean he just could not win vs efren.
for money efren would and did find a way to win.
earl played as good a efen bur efren wins for the money.
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